وقفناwe stood ببابat the door of المنقذيّal-Munqidhi عشَّيةًone evening
وقفنا بباب المنقذيّ عشَّيةً
كانّاas though we were وفودdelegations of الشكرgratitude دونwithout نوالهِhis bounty
كانّا وفود الشكر دون نوالهِ
We stood at al-Munqidhi’s door one evening,
as though we were envoys of gratitude, without his bounty.
فدافعناso he kept putting us off بالإذنover permission to enter حتىuntil كأنناas though we were
فدافعنا بالإذن حتى كأننا
مواعيدهُhis promises محجوبةًheld back بمطالهby his procrastination
مواعيدهُ محجوبةً بمطاله
So he kept delaying our admission, until we seemed
his promises, held back by his procrastination.
وقدand indeed نامhe slept عنheedless of حاجاتناour needs نومَthe sleep of سيفهِhis sword
وقد نام عن حاجاتنا نومَ سيفهِ
إذاwhen قابلhe faces الأعداءَthe enemies يومthe day of نزالهhis combat
إذا قابل الأعداءَ يوم نزاله
And he slept, heedless of our needs, as his sword sleeps
when he faces enemies on his day of combat.
وللريحand the wind had فيناthrough us زمهريرٌbitter cold كأنهُas though it were
وللريح فينا زمهريرٌ كأنهُ
معانيهِhis poetic conceits حاليin both states of فكرهِhis deliberation وارتجالهand his improvisation
معانيهِ حالي فكرهِ وارتجاله
The wind’s bitter chill pierced us, as though it were
his poetic conceits, whether thought out or improvised,
إلىuntil أنthat بداappeared جنحُthe wing of الظلامdarkness كأنهُas though it were
إلى أن بدا جنحُ الظلام كأنهُ
يدُthe hand of النجمal-Najm عنديto my eyes أوor محيَّاthe face of ابنthe son of خالهhis maternal uncle
يدُ النجم عندي أو محيَّا ابن خاله
until the wing of darkness appeared, seeming
to me like al-Najm’s hand, or his maternal cousin’s face.
Translation model: Sol 6.1